The USDA regularly monitors what it costs to feed a family of four in the U.S. This morning on "Early Start," we're getting a new look at exactly how much Americans shell out for food every week. Christine Romans shares details.

It costs a family of four about $21 a day for food, and on a weekly basis the thrifty plan is $146. On a more generous plan, families are looking at spending $289 a week for grub.

The USDA crunches these numbers so it has a guideline for nutrition assistance, or food stamps.

There are some common sense ways to make the low-cost food plan work, including:

During the first two years of the economic recovery, the rich got richer, while the lower 93% of Americans saw their mean household net worth fall 4% to $133,000. According to Pew, the wealthiest 7% saw their mean household net worth jump 28%, hitting more than three million dollars in 2011.

Researchers attribute the uneven recovery to the fact that affluent households own more stocks and other financial holdings that have been growing in worth. At the same time, the housing market, which is the biggest investment for many people in the lower 93%, has remained flat.

Christine Romans details the report results and discusses the impact a fake Associated Press tweet had on the market in today's Minding Your Business segment.

President Obama is scheduled to release his budget proposal today. It's expected to include $25 billion in wasteful spending cuts, based on recommendations from an extensive report by the government accountability office.

Christine Romans previews President Obama's proposed budget and what programs could be included in $25 billion in cuts.

The troubled department-store chain announced late Monday that Johnson is stepping down and leaving the company after just a year and a half. He is being replaced by his predecessor, Mike Ullman, who led the company for seven years prior to Johnson's arrival.